Honey Satsuma Cranberry Sauce

Once you make homemade cranberry sauce, you never go back. Never, ever. It dawned on me one year how odd it is to put so much effort into this huge elaborate meal where the turkey causes so much stress because it is the one time of year people who never roast meat actually do go through the process from buying a turkey to roasting it in the oven. The sense of accomplishment a home cook feels when this bird comes out of the oven looking like it does on the cover of a magazine is something one never forgets, similar to the memory and feeling a new first time mom feels when she gives birth to her first child. It’s like, “Wow, I did it!” But this is what irks me. It irks me to see canned cranberry sauce spooned into a bowl looking rather gelatinous next to a beautiful roasted turkey. I think to myself, “Why!??” Followed by, “How sad.” Just seems strange to have canned sauce on the table after all the work someone puts into roasting a turkey. And I realize some people like canned sauce. Fair enough. I like store-bought things too, guilty pleasures. But seriously, homemade cranberry sauce is so damn easy to make and tastes so much better than what you can buy in a can, it just seems so obvious to make it from scratch.

This cranberry sauce only uses 3 ingredients, 4 if you count the optional zest. The key to this sauce is using fresh satsuma mandarin oranges for the juice, zest, and garnish -remember, presentation counts! If you can find satsumas with the stem and leaves intact, the leaves also make great garnish accents and can be served in a bowl as part of an easy decorative centerpiece.

I use honey in this recipe for its sweet floral undertones which compliment the orange citrus flavor in a way that sugar doesn’t. Once the juice, honey, and fresh cranberries are cooked down into a thick sauce, the vibrant red color affirms every reason why homemade cranberry sauce is awesome and explains in one bite why once you go scratch you never go back.

Once last thing, you can make this sauce in advance, like today. Like right now. Any leftovers should be saved and used as a jam or in a sandwich like this one. You can also pour it over a block of cream cheese and serve it with crackers.

Comments

Hi Alice. We made this for our Thanksgiving meal and it was a hit! The orange zest and satsuma juice had a really bright flavor, adding a natural sweetness to the dish. I think it was one of the most popular dishes at our table! This one is a keep, thank you so much!

Thank you for such a simple recipe! It’s time that I get off the canned stuff and try something fresh. This is also Owari Satsuma mandarin season in nearby Placer County (California). I love mandarins! Tis the season!

Hi Alice…well another year, another Thanksgiving, and another great cranberry sauce recipe from you! Last year I made the Simple and Amazing Cranberry sauce (which I loved!) and was ready to use the same recipe, but this post definitely caught my interest. Thanks for sharing all your great recipes and Happy Thanksgiving : )

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment

Name *

Email *

Website

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Recipe Rating

Rate this recipe:

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

HELLO

Hi, and welcome to Savory Sweet Life. I am so glad you are here! My name is Alice Currah and you'll find easy delicious recipes to feed your family and other useful tips for everyday living. Continue reading more about Alice....

RECIPE SEARCH

Categories

Categories

Savory Sweet Life participates in affiliate programs including Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. SSL may earn fees linking to products and services at no additional cost to you.